SUPERMAN II (1981)

In what was his second film as the titular Man of Steel, the late, great Christopher Reeve returns as Kal-El, the Son of Crypton who has now settled in Metropolis under disguise as Clark Kent, a nerdy reporter a The Daily Planet who also pines for his fellow reporter Lois Lane played by the late, great Margot Kidder.  As Superman, he is now doing his part to keep the human inhabitants of Planet Earth safe until.....three Kryptonians come calling lead by the aggrieved General Zod (Terence Stamp) who is seeking revenge against Kal-El after his late father had him imprisoned in the previous film.  Together Zod, Ursa (Sarah Douglas), and Non (Jack O'Halloran) begin to wreak havoc on Earth and frigteningly, NO ONE can stop them as they each have similar powers to Kal-El. :o And what results is an intense battle of ONE vs. THREE....can Superman prevail this time around??  Directed by Richard Lester (A Hard Day's Night) taking over from Richard Donner....sort of, this beloved sequel also features returning cast members Gene Hackman, Jackie Cooper, Valerie Perrine, and Ned Beatty.  KNEEL before ZOD!!!!

Host & Editor: Geoff Gershon
Producer: Marlene Gershon 

Transcript

SUPERMAN II                     1981

Directed by Richard Lester &….originally Richard Donner

Starring Chrstopher Reeve, Margot Kidder, Terence Stamp, Sarah Douglas, Jack O’Halloran, Ned Beatty, Jackie Cooper, Valerie Perrine, Susannah York, Clifton James, EG Marshall, Marc McClure, Leueen Willoughby, Robin Pappas, and Gene Hackman

Genre: Superhero Action

Like Commando, Rocky III, For Your Eyes Only, Beverly Hills Cop, Seems Like Old Times, Condorman (!), Aliens, Midnight Madness, The Toy, Real Genius, Victory, and likely a few select few others....I just can't help but rewatch this now through nostalgia goggles. Between HBO, the proverbial "black box," and my father's ever-growing collection of "copied" recordings on VHS tapes (often 4 hour speed, two per tape) of movies from the first half of the 1980's....these are movies I just watched again and again AND again.....staying home sick, sleepovers, entertaining neighbors, etc....this fits in a specific crop of movie which even decades removed from last watching it, I seem to know and remember EVERY line and/or beat. 😜 I'm not bragging mind you.....

It's hard for me to objective about Terrance Stamp's performance as General Zod because the following dialogue exchange between him and Sarah Douglas' delectable Ursa is just burned in my brain: 

"This 'super-MAN' is nothing of the kind...
 I've discovered his WEAKNESS."

“Yes?"

"He CARES....he actually cares for these Earth people!"

"Like PETS..."

"I suppose."

Stamp is in fact pretty great here, even with his half unbuttoned black silk shirt here doing about a third of the acting. :) Easily Top Ten All-Time Movie Villain and definitely Top Five Superhero Movie Villain....he's not only calmly chewing the scenery but provides a perfect counterpoint to PEAK Christopher Reeve as the Kal-El! 

It's a genuinely fun movie if slightly messy at points - that ending kiss is a true narrative cop-out, how he gets his powers back SO quickly in in the third act just feels too easy, and they never quite figure out how to use Lex Luthor this time around. Although Gene Hackman is still a joy to watch - he becomes the Ruler of Australia after all - and it's clear that the sharply chopped up production of this movie (and his unwillingness to return without Donner in the director's chair) lead to a very truncated return for his character.  But at the very least, it never feels jarring from the overall playful tone of the movie. And even with late '70's/early '80's optical effects, the action is still pretty robust.

The setpieces in Paris, Niagara Falls, and of course that extended brawl around Manhattan/Metropolis....it's exciting to watch even when some of the F/X seams are showing at points! Seriously nobody would even really ATTEMPT boss brawl-type action on this scale - on a real budget - for around another twenty years until The Matrix Trilogy. Between that brawling action AND the depowered-fallen-hero arc (to be arguably improved upon in Spider-Man 2?), this was definitely ahead of its time and a standard-bearer for the superhero genre for years to come....

Best Needledrop (best song cue or score used throughout runtime of film):

Come on this is a no-brainer as pretty much every major piece of score for this sequel is recycled from the first film…..an ALL-TIMER from the legendary John Williams.  Yes props also need to go to British composer Ken Thorne who did arrange and compose SLIGHTLY updated versions of this music for this move but at the end of the day, it’s STILL pretty much John Williams’ music.  This remains one of THE greatest hero themes of all time. (Audio clip) 

Wasted Talent (most under-utilized talent involved with film):

Ok now in case it wasn’t already clear here, the version of this film which I’m reviewing is the ORIGINAL theatrical cut released in June 1981 and NOT the eventually recut “Richard Donner Cut” eventually released on DVD in 2002.  And LOOK I have always loved the late, great Richard Donner as a filmmaker and this isn’t taking anything away from him: he directed previous episodes Lethal Weapon, Lethal Weapon 2, and The Omen ALL genre classics as far as I’m concerned. (Audio clip) 

I also DO get all of the criticisms of the theatrical cut and just how much of a Franken-movie it ended up being: not having Marlon Brando return to play Jor-El IS jarring and like I said, it’s a bit haphazard as to how the utilize Lex Luthor in this film….and that was mainly due to the fact that Hackman did not return to film ANY new scenes for the sequel, they’re often ADRing much of his dialogue for that reason.   Director Richard Lester (A Hard Day's Night) DOES dip into the slapstick well a few too many times - still not sure of the point of the dude on the ground keeping his phone conversation going during that sequence when Zod and crew are tearing up Metroplis either. (Audio clip) 

HOWEVER……having SEEN the Richard Donner Cut, it just never felt like a finished movie to me.  It was also cobbled together from several unrealized sequences which is obvious at points.  AND most importantly having mentioned this already….THIS is the version which I grew up with sorry and for the same reason that I have always been more partial to the eventual PG-rated, basic-cable version of previous episode Saturday Night Fever moreso than the original R-rated version which I didn’t actually WATCH until 2012 on blu-ray, this will always remain the version I prefer.  I get the flaws but it still just works for me overall. 

Trailer Moment (scene or moment that best describes this movie):

This occurs about 95 minute into the movie and it might not only be THE dramatic highpoint of this movie but definitely among my Top Five all-time for any superhero movies.  It’s quite simple: General Zod is now apparently in charge of things and with the help of a sniveling Lex Luthor, he has now brought his crew to the Daily Planet where he is hoping to draw out his sworn enemy Kal-El using Lois Lane as bait…..and BOY does he!  All seems lost until Superman shows up and flies up to the window of the Daily Planet calling out the General….it’s kind of out of a Western, Reeves plays this perfectly, Hackman’s comic reaction is perfect, AND Zod’s declaration pretty nails this moment.  And what results is a genuine battle royale throughout downtown Metropolis which and the final GLORIOUS thirty minutes of this film.  Beyond that, we get a fun glimpse of Metropolis folks reacting at street level……and if there were any doubts as to why I still prefer THIS admittedly flawed original theatrical version of this movie, it also comes down to what Superman utters when he shows up outside that window.  In the Donner Cut, Superman says “Haven’t you heard of FREEDOM of the PRESS? Nah.  Compared that to his line here: MOVIES do NOT get ANY better than THIS! (Audio clip)   

MVP (person or people most responsible for the success of this film):

What's funny rewatching this NOW...
 years removed from the aftermath of all the Henry Cavill/Man of Steel brouhaha....this version of Superman is a BIT more conscious about drawing the fight away from Metropolis. However, he is NO less of an actual murderer than Cavill's Supes nor any less of an edgelord dick compared to Zack Snyder's version. 

THIS Superman GLEEFULLY kills Zod without giving it a second's thought, is willing to defy nature in ALL sorts of crazy ways including rotating the earth backwards at the end of the first one) in service of keeping Lois Lane (Margot Kidder, genuinely good in the first two movies) in his life....and is even petty enough to seek out a mere human trucker at the end JUST to beat the shit out of him! (Audio clip) 

The main being difference being....that as written by Mario Puzo and more importantly as portrayed by the late, great Reeves...Superman here is undeniably CHARMING. ;) The actor had a megawatt smile and knew JUST how to use it in the most disarming ways....during the downtown climax after he has just saved a woman and her baby on the ground from falling shrapnel, I just absolutely LOVE how as he does a grinning/waving double-take to the women on the ground thanking him as he's flying away! Even for just a brief moment - amidst torn up streets and three Kryptonian sociopaths waiting up in the sky for him....he's gonna take a moment to acknowledge you. :) Bottom line, this movie just does NOT work out without its main star….and for still remaining THE DEFINITIVE BIG SCREEN SUPERMAN with his best performance as this character, Christoopher Reeve is the MVP. (Audio clip) 

Final Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

Happy 45th Anniversary to what still remains one of my favorite superhero movies EVER…..yes I do prefer this to the original mainly because it’s just more Superman AND Zod, what else could you ask for?

 Streaming on HBO Max, AMC Plus, philo, & YouTube TV

And that ends another KNEEL BEFORE ZOD review!